Thank god I don’t have to suffer Simon Dallow anymore. What an idiot. His sign off this evening on the TV1 news continued as it started – “It’s all about me!” I could hear him quietly scream. So smug and self-satisfied. So inadequate.

One good thing the Olympics highlights every four years is the determination and grit that the athletes dedicate to their sport. The winners always pronounce that they dreamed and thought hard about crossing that finish line, or throwing that big throw. Perhaps its the power of positive thought that made them win – not the training and government money.

And so, here’s the challenge.

If we could just get ALL the athletes in the world (not just New Zealand ones) to concentrate really hard on a big world issue – for instance, world peace – then we might just be able to influence events. It’s the perfect opportunity. Several thousand athletes, utterly committed and focused on concentrating their thought to one issue. Let’s encourage them not to be selfish and think about 8 or 9 gold medals – lets encourage them to do something nobler, and solve the worlds problems.

We’d need to run a few competitions to decide on the one topic the athletes would ultimately concentrate on, but that’s what the World Games could be for…practice runs at worthy causes.

What a great game. Fast and furious. Exciting to watch, and a cliff hanger until nearly the end.

The Australians played with real passion. And there was no doubt that Robbie Deans created that passion. Team members spoken to during the week spoke of how Robbie makes the game fun. Hmmm… I’d be surprised if an All Black came out and said the same of Graham Henry.

While the win for Australia wasn’t a shock to me it was very surprising to hear Assistant Coach Steve Hansen speak after the game and express surprise that the Australians had kicked like a team from Canterbury. You’d surely have to be an idiot to think that Robbie Deans wasn’t going to coach the Aussies in the winning way he coached the Crusaders – wouldn’t you?

This is the second biggest margin that Australia has had over New Zealand in test history. The game in Auckland next week is bound to be a ripper.

LATEST: At 4.15pm Tony Veitch holds a press conference and admits the assault. On Close Up Michelle Boag makes the ‘speech mark’ signal with her hands when she mentions the ‘victim’ as if to say Veitch’s ex wasn’t a ‘victim’, even though he just admitted the assault.